Quality Glossary Definition: Problem solving Show
Problem solving is the act of defining a problem; determining the cause of the problem; identifying, prioritizing, and selecting alternatives for a solution; and implementing a solution.
Problem Solving Chart The Problem-Solving ProcessIn order to effectively manage and run a successful organization, leadership must guide their employees and develop problem-solving techniques. Finding a suitable solution for issues can be accomplished by following the basic four-step problem-solving process and methodology outlined below.
1. Define the problemDiagnose the situation so that your focus is on the problem, not just its symptoms. Helpful problem-solving techniques include using flowcharts to identify the expected steps of a process and cause-and-effect diagrams to define and analyze root causes. The sections below help explain key problem-solving steps. These steps support the involvement of interested parties, the use of factual information, comparison of expectations to reality, and a focus on root causes of a problem. You should begin by:
2. Generate alternative solutionsPostpone the selection of one solution until several problem-solving alternatives have been proposed. Considering multiple alternatives can significantly enhance the value of your ideal solution. Once you have decided on the "what should be" model, this target standard becomes the basis for developing a road map for investigating alternatives. Brainstorming and team problem-solving techniques are both useful tools in this stage of problem solving. Many alternative solutions to the problem should be generated before final evaluation. A common mistake in problem solving is that alternatives are evaluated as they are proposed, so the first acceptable solution is chosen, even if it’s not the best fit. If we focus on trying to get the results we want, we miss the potential for learning something new that will allow for real improvement in the problem-solving process. 3. Evaluate and select an alternativeSkilled problem solvers use a series of considerations when selecting the best alternative. They consider the extent to which:
4. Implement and follow up on the solutionLeaders may be called upon to direct others to implement the solution, "sell" the solution, or facilitate the implementation with the help of others. Involving others in the implementation is an effective way to gain buy-in and support and minimize resistance to subsequent changes. Regardless of how the solution is rolled out, feedback channels should be built into the implementation. This allows for continuous monitoring and testing of actual events against expectations. Problem solving, and the techniques used to gain clarity, are most effective if the solution remains in place and is updated to respond to future changes. Problem Solving ResourcesYou can also search articles, case studies, and publications for problem solving resources. BooksInnovative Business Management Using TRIZ Introduction To 8D Problem Solving: Including Practical Applications and Examples The Quality Toolbox Root Cause Analysis: The Core of Problem Solving and Corrective Action ArticlesOne Good Idea: Some Sage Advice (Quality Progress) The person with the problem just wants it to go away quickly, and the problem-solvers also want to resolve it in as little time as possible because they have other responsibilities. Whatever the urgency, effective problem-solvers have the self-discipline to develop a complete description of the problem. Diagnostic Quality Problem Solving: A Conceptual Framework And Six Strategies (Quality Management Journal) This paper contributes a conceptual framework for the generic process of diagnosis in quality problem solving by identifying its activities and how they are related. Weathering The Storm (Quality Progress) Even in the most contentious circumstances, this approach describes how to sustain customer-supplier relationships during high-stakes problem solving situations to actually enhance customer-supplier relationships. The Right Questions (Quality Progress) All problem solving begins with a problem description. Make the most of problem solving by asking effective questions. Solving the Problem (Quality Progress) Brush up on your problem-solving skills and address the primary issues with these seven methods. Case StudiesRefreshing Louisville Metro’s Problem-Solving System (Journal for Quality and Participation) Organization-wide transformation can be tricky, especially when it comes to sustaining any progress made over time. In Louisville Metro, a government organization based in Kentucky, many strategies were used to enact and sustain meaningful transformation. CertificationQuality Improvement Associate Certification--CQIA CoursesCertified Quality Improvement Associate Question Bank Lean Problem-Solving Tools Problem Solving Using A3 Root Cause Analysis: Solve Problems by Eliminations Causes Quality 101 WebcastsMaking the Connection In this exclusive QP webcast, Jack ReVelle, ASQ Fellow and author, shares how quality tools can be combined to create a powerful problem-solving force. Adapted from The Executive Guide to Improvement and Change, ASQ Quality Press.
Recall from Chapter 1 that solutions are defined as homogeneous mixtures that are mixed so thoroughly that neither component can be observed independently of the other. Solutions are all around us. Air, for example, is a solution. If you live near a lake, a river, or an ocean, that body of water is not pure H2O but most probably a solution. Much of what we drink—for example, soda, coffee, tea, and milk are solutions. Solutions are a large part of everyday life. A lot of the chemistry occurring around us happens in solution. In fact, much of the chemistry that occurs in our own bodies takes place in solution, and many solutions—such as the Ringer’s lactate IV solution—are important in healthcare. In our understanding of chemistry, we need to understand a little bit about solutions. In this chapter, you will learn about the special characteristics of solutions, how solutions are characterized, and some of their properties.
Skills to Develop
The major component of the solution is called solvent, and the minor component(s) are called solute. If both components in a solution are 50%, the term solute can be assigned to either component. When a gaseous or solid material dissolves in a liquid, the gas or solid material is called the solute. When two liquids dissolve in each other, the major component is called the solvent and the minor component is called the solute. Many chemical reactions are carried out in solutions, and solutions are also closely related to our everyday lives. The air we breathe, the liquids we drink, and the fluids in our body are all solutions. Furthermore, we are surrounded by solutions such as the air and waters (in rivers, lakes and oceans). On the topic of solutions, we include the following sections.
Solving problems of solution stoichiometry requires the concepts introduced in stoichiometry in Chapter 6, which also provides the basis for the discussion on reactions. (Back to the Top)
In Chapter 1, you were introduced to the concept of a mixture, which is a substance that is composed of two or more substances. Recall that mixtures can be of two types: Homogeneous and Heterogeneous, where homogeneous mixtures combine so intimately that they are observed as a single substance, even though they are not. Heterogeneous mixtures, on the other hand, are non-uniform and have regions of the mixture that look different from other regions of the mixture. Homogeneous mixtures can be further broken down into two classifications: Colloids and Solutions. A colloid is a mixture that contains particles with diameters ranging from 2 to 500 nm. Colloids appear uniform in nature and have the same composition throughout but are cloudy or opaque. Milk is a good example of a colloid. True solutions have particle sizes of a typical ion or small molecule (~0.1 to 2 nm in diameter) and are transparent, although they may be colored. This chapter will focus on the characteristics of true solutions. Material exists in three states: solid, liquid, and gas. Solutions also exist in all these states:
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The maximum amount of a substance that can be dissolved in a given volume of solvent is called solubility. Often, the solubility in water is expressed in gram/100 mL. A solution that has not reached its maximum solubility is called an unsaturated solution. This means that more solute could still be added to the solvent and dissolving would still occur. A solution that has reached the maximum solubility is called a saturated solution. If more solute is added at this point, it will not dissolve into the solution. Instead it will remain precipitated as a solid at the bottom of the solution. Thus, one can often tell that a solution is saturated if extra solute is present (this can exist as another phase, such as gas, liquid, or solid). In a saturated solution there is no net change in the amount of solute dissolved, but the system is by no means static. In fact, the solute is constantly being dissolved and deposited at an equal rate. Such a phenomenon is called equilibrium. For example: In special circumstances, a solution may be supersaturated. Supersaturated solutions are solutions that have dissolved solute beyond the normal saturation point. Usually a condition such as increased temperature or pressure is required to create a supersaturated solution. For example, sodium acetate has a very high solubility at 270 K. When cooled, such a solution stays dissolved in what is called a meta-stable state. However, when a seeding crystal is added to the solution, the extra solute will rapidly solidify. During the crystallization process, heat is evolved, and the solution becomes warm. Common hand warmers use this chemical process to generate heat. https://wou.edu/chemistry/files/2017/05/Sodium-Acetate-Crystals-Supersaturated-Solution.mp4 Video 7.1: Video showing the crystallization of a supersaturated solution of sodium acetate. Video by : North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics So how can we predict the solubility of a substance?One useful classification of materials is polarity. As you read about covalent and ionic compounds in Chapters 3 and 4, you learned that ionic compounds have the highest polarity forming full cations and anions within each molecule as electrons are donated from one atom to another. You also learned that covalent bonds could be polar or nonpolar in nature depending on whether or not the atoms involved in the bond share the electrons unequally or equally, respectively. Recall that the electronegativity difference can be used to determine the polarity of a substance. Typically an ionic bond has an electronegativity difference of 1.8 or above, whereas a polar covalent bond is between 0.4 to 1.8, and a nonpolar covalent bond is 0.4 or below. Figure 7.1 Electronegativity Difference Diagram. The diagram above is a guide for discerning what type of bond forms between two different atoms. By taking the difference between the electronegativity values for each of the atoms involved in the bond, the bond type and polarity can be predicted. Note that full ionic character is rarely reached, however when metals and nonmetals form bonds, they are named using the rules for ionic bonding. Substances with zero or low electronegativity difference such as H2, O2, N2, CH4, CCl4 are nonpolar compounds, whereas H2O, NH3, CH3OH, NO, CO, HCl, H2S, PH3 higher electronegativity difference are polar compounds. Typically compounds that have similar polarity are soluble in one another. This can be described by the rule: Like Dissolves Like.
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